Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Published
This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.
Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.
Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.
Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2021 series for most Cambridge
IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level components.
These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.
• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.
Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).
• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these
features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.
Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question
(however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate
responses seen).
Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.
In order to fulfil these assessment objectives in Section 1, a ‘best fit’ principle is applied using the
Task Fulfilment and Language band descriptors.
1 On your way home from school recently, you and your friend saw a 30
poster about an event. This led to an exciting experience for both you
and your friend. Some time later, your teacher asks you to make a
speech to your class about the experience.
• the effect this experience had on both you and your friend.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your speech
interesting and informative. Start your speech ‘Good morning,
everyone.’
Section 2: Composition
Questions
Description
2 Describe two of your neighbours who are very different and what your relationship with
them is like. (Remember you are describing the characters of the two people as well as
their appearance.)
Argument
3 ‘We should always obey rules, both inside and outside school: there is never an excuse
for breaking them.’ What is your opinion? Give reasons and examples to support your
view.
4 Which two aspects of your culture do you think people in your country should be most
proud of? Give reasons and examples to support your view.
Narrative
5 Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘I could see my friend shouting to me but
there was too much noise to hear what my friend was saying.’
6 Write a story in which someone is accused of doing something wrong which they did
not actually do.
Band 8 14–15 Highly accurate writing, apart from very occasional slips.
Band 7 12–13 Accurate writing; occasional errors are either slips or caused by ambition.
Band 6 10–11 Mostly accurate writing; errors from ambition do not mar clarity of
communication.
• Some variety of sentence length and structure, not always for particular
purpose.
• Errors in verb forms and tense consistency may cause uncertainty in
sequence of events or disturb ease of communication.
• Vocabulary usually adequate to convey intended meaning; idiom may be
uncertain.
• Punctuation used but not always helpful; occasional sentence separation
errors.
• Spelling of simple vocabulary accurate; errors in more difficult words.
• Paragraphs used but may lack unity or coherence.
Band 4 6–7 Overall meaning never in doubt, but errors sufficiently frequent and
serious to hamper precision and distract reader from content.
Band 3 4–5 The writing has many serious errors of various kinds of ‘single-word’ type
(i.e. they could be corrected without re-writing the sentence);
communication established, although weight of error may cause some
'blurring'.
Band 2 2–3 Sense usually decipherable but some errors will be 'multiple' (i.e. requiring
the reader to re-read and re-organise); meaning may be partly hidden by
density of linguistic error.
Band 8 27–30 Highly accurate writing, apart from very occasional slips.
• Sentence structures varied for particular effects.
• Verb forms largely correct and appropriate tenses consistently used.
• Vocabulary wide and precise.
• Punctuation accurate and helpful.
• Spelling accurate, apart from very occasional slips.
• Paragraphs have unity, are linked, and show evidence of planning.
Band 7 23–26 Accurate writing; occasional errors are either slips or caused by ambition.
• Sentence structures show some variation to create some natural fluency.
• Occasional slips in verb forms or tense formation, but sequence
consistent and clear throughout.
• Vocabulary precise enough to convey intended shades of meaning.
• Punctuation accurate and generally helpful.
• Spelling nearly always accurate.
• Paragraphs have unity, are usually linked, and show some evidence of
planning.
Band 6 19–22 Mostly accurate writing; errors from ambition do not mar clarity of
communication.
• Some variety of sentence structures, but a tendency to repeat sentence
types may produce a monotonous effect.
• Errors may occur in irregular verb forms, but control of tense sequence
sufficient to sustain clear progression of events or ideas.
• Simple vocabulary mainly correct; errors may occur with more ambitious
words.
• Punctuation generally accurate and sentence separation correctly
marked, but errors may occur, e.g. with direct speech.
• Spelling of simple vocabulary accurate; some errors in more ambitious
words.
• Paragraphs may show some unity, although links may be absent or
inappropriate.
Band 4 11–14 Overall meaning never in doubt, but errors sufficiently frequent and
serious to hamper precision and distract reader from content.
• Some simple sentence structures accurate, but unlikely to sustain
accuracy for long.
• Errors in verb forms and tenses will sometimes confuse sequence of
events.
• Vocabulary limited, either too simple or imperfectly understood; some
idiomatic errors likely.
• Simple punctuation usually accurate, but there may be frequent sentence
separation errors.
• Spelling of simple vocabulary accurate; frequent errors in more difficult
words.
• Paragraphs used haphazardly.
Band 3 7–10 The writing has many serious errors of various kinds of ‘single–word’ type
(i.e. they could be corrected without re–writing the sentence);
communication established, although weight of error may cause some
'blurring'.
• Sentences probably simple and repetitive in structure.
• Frequent errors in verb forms and haphazard changes of tense confuse
meaning.
• Vocabulary conveys meaning but likely to be simple and imprecise;
significant idiomatic errors.
• Spelling may be inconsistent.
• Punctuation and paragraphing may be haphazard or non–existent.
Band 2 3–6 Sense usually decipherable but some errors will be 'multiple' (i.e. requiring
the reader to re–read and re–organise); meaning may be partly hidden by
density of linguistic error.
• Unlikely to be more than a few accurate sentences, however simple, in the
whole essay.